Show the sword, start from the guerrillas

Chapter 276 Chapter 275, Semi-automatic has its own magical uses

"Comrade, are you full of questions now? Are you confused as to why I agreed to let you build a semi-automatic machine?"

At the arsenal headquarters in Shanghe Village, Minister Zhang was fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan and making a rare joke at the surprised Li Yuexuan.

"Um... I don't quite understand, but I know this is a good thing!" Li Yuexuan said.

"Of course it's a good thing!" Minister Zhang fanned himself with one hand and took out a ladle with the other. He scooped a ladle of cold boiled water from the pottery jar beside him and poured it into the large teapot. He handed it to Li Yuexuan: "Drink some water!"

"Yes, Minister Zhang!" Li Yuexuan obediently picked up the big teacup and gulped down the cold boiled water. He immediately felt clear all over and in much better spirits.

"During the time you were here, our comrades at the headquarters were also studying the current battle situation and analyzing the battles your guerrillas had fought! When the soldiers you brought with you were learning from the grassroots commanders, we also asked them to recount the battles to help us determine how we should fight the next battle and how we should develop our equipment!"

"I remember you once said that we should first solve the problem of whether we have the weapons or not, and then solve the problem of whether they are good or not! Now, the problem of whether the weapons or not has been solved! As you have straightened out the production process and the things in the production workshop, our production capacity of Type 20 rifles can stably produce 10 per day, and we can also produce grenade launchers."

"That's it. This is why we try to focus our resources on rifle production. After all, soldiers need guns, but the demand for grenade launchers is not that great. After all, it is impossible for every soldier to fight with a grenade launcher! Do you understand the significance of this production capacity? In other words, according to the current production capacity, we can make 600 rifles a month, enough to arm a battalion!"

"And this has just begun production. Hundreds or even thousands of workers and equipment will be put into production later! In the future, it won't be a problem to produce 100 or even 200 rifles a day! By then, the monthly production will be enough to equip a main force regiment and an ordinary regiment with rifles alone."

"But, the main force can't just use rifles and grenade launchers to fight, we also need light machine guns and heavy machine guns to suppress fire! You know, our technical workers are already imitating the Czech-style and Civilian 24 heavy machine guns! But, based on these two guns, we can actually choose the semi-automatic ones you have already tried to equip!"

While Minister Zhang was speaking, he pointed at the semi-automatic gun Li Yuexuan was carrying and motioned him to take it off.

Li Yuexuan took off his rifle, checked that the safety was in place, and then handed it to Minister Zhang.

"According to our understanding, in your recent battles, the comrades who used semi-automatic rifles killed and wounded about 40% of the Japanese devils you killed! And you accounted for the majority of them!" Minister Zhang looked at the semi-automatic rifle, stroking the buttstock that was already somewhat patinated, and said lovingly: "So, we have included this semi-automatic rifle in our equipment production!"

"For this gun, we have ready-made blueprints and processes, so we don't need to study it, we can start production directly! Moreover, it can fire semi-automatically, with a fast firing rate, and a 20-round magazine, which can hold a lot of ammunition. What's more valuable is that it uses the Japanese 6.5mm Arisaka rifle bullets, the same bullets used in the Japanese Type 1 light machine gun, making it more convenient to supply ammunition on the battlefield." "So, we agreed to your application and plan to open up a special production line to manufacture a batch of semi-automatic ones as an auxiliary killing method for light and heavy machine guns! Moreover, when there is no stable production of light and heavy machine guns, can semi-automatic ones also be used as light machine guns? The Japanese machine gun group has 4 shooter, two deputy shooters who also serve as ammunition handlers, and a commander, a total of Japanese."

"According to the firing rate of semi-automatic rifles, if we equip a squad with three semi-automatic rifles and give them to veterans with good marksmanship, it will be enough to fight against the Japanese machine gun group! If the Japanese machine gun breaks down, we will crush them! Moreover, semi-automatic rifles are light, and we only need the comrades in the squad to help each of them carry an extra 3-round bullet box to ensure sufficient firepower continuity."

"These are the reasons why I agreed to let you build the semi-automatic machine! So, in the next period of time, you can build the semi-automatic machine with peace of mind in the morning, go to the training class in the afternoon, and continue to write your works at night. At the end of the month, a new group of students will come here to learn the technology of grenade launchers from you, and you will have to be an instructor again." After Minister Zhang finished speaking, he hung the semi-automatic machine on Li Yuexuan.

"Young comrade, those who are capable should do more work. You still have to keep working hard!" After saying this, Minister Zhang handed Li Yuexuan a note allowing the production of semi-automatic machines.

"Yes, Minister Zhang, I will urge my comrades to produce qualified semi-automatic rifles as soon as possible and equip our troops! That... or one gun can carry four magazines?" Li Yuexuan asked.

"Well, let's follow the ratio of one gun with four magazines! The gun comes with one magazine, and there are three spare magazines, which means 4 rounds of ammunition. This is absolutely abundant in our Eighth Route Army! If the regiment commanders are capable and can win the battle and seize enough bullets, they can also give the soldiers an extra 80-round ammunition box, which means 60 rounds of ammunition!"

While talking, Minister Zhang glanced at the Japanese-style magazine hanging on Li Yuexuan's back, which contained 60 rounds of 6.5mm Arisaka rifle bullets. Well, Minister Zhang's arrangement was completely based on Li Yuexuan's outfit! Of course, this is not surprising, after all, he also knows how powerful Li Yuexuan is, and it's no mistake to learn from him!

With the instructions from Minister Zhang, Li Yuexuan would not delay! So on the same day, he called Lei Yan and Hai Datong to his office. These two old fitters have good skills and are easy to use. It is right to assign them tasks! Therefore, the tasks of planning and designing molds according to the drawings were given to them.

Then, Li Yuexuan dispatched equipment, materials, and production personnel... Without affecting the production of the Type 28 rifle and grenade launcher, a new production team of only people was formed. This production team included carpenters with exquisite craftsmanship, blacksmiths who swung sledgehammers, lathe operators who processed external circles, drillers who drilled holes, and even fitters who could travel the world with just a file...

In short, under the leadership of Li Yuexuan, these people engaged in semi-automatic production.

Of course, everyone actually has a question, that is, can a 12-man combat squad equipped with 3 semi-automatic rifles fight against the Japanese's Type light machine guns? If so, can it replace the light machine guns? Well, this question was quickly dispelled by a guy's words.

"What are you thinking about? Wouldn't it be good to equip the squad with a light machine gun? Or a grenade launcher? Stronger firepower is better than anything else!"

(End of this chapter)